Improvement in coal - mining machines



. ZSheets-Sheetl. T. T. PROSSER.

COAL-MINING MACHINE. No.179,464. Patented July 4,1876.

".FETEYS. PHOTD-LJTNOGRAFHER. WASHINGTON. D, O

Z Sheets-Sheet Z.

T. '1. PROSSER. COAL-MINING mammamama my 4, 1876.

ILPEIERS, PHOTO-UTHOGHAPHER. WASHING'YON. D. C,

U ITED TATES PA'IET FFIO'E.

TREAT T. PROSSER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

IMPROVEMENT IN COAL- MINING IVI ACHINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 179,464, dated July 4,1876; application filed April 5, 1876.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, TREAT T. PROSSER, of Chicago, in the county of Cookand State of Illinois, have invented a certain Improvement in Machinesfor Mining Goal, of which the following is a specification:

This invention relates to machines for undercuttin g veins of coalpreparatory to removing such coal from its bed, and more especially tothat kind of such machines which have a laterally-projecting cuttingapparatus driven by an engine, suitably mounted on trucks to run on atrack by the side of the vein of coal.

My improvement consists in so mounting the machine that it can bereadily adjusted to' give to the cutting apparatus any required pitch orinclination in a longitudinal direction as well as transversely forgoverning the rake of the cutters. It further consists in mounting themachine on a circular track, so that it can be turned to let the cuttingapparatus project in any direction, means being provided for looking itto said circular track after the desired adjustment. It further consistsof an endless cutter-chain, of peculiar construction, which will befully explained hereinafter. It further consists in providing thedriving-wheel of the cutter-chain and the laterally-projecting arm,around which it moves, with means for giving horizontal support to saidchain, It further consists in introducing a spring in the supporting-armof the cutterchain, so that it may yield longitudinally in case piecesof coal work their way between the arm and the chain. It furtherconsists of a pcculiarconstruct-ion ot' the pawls of the feed mechanism.It further consists in the combination of a separate brake for eachtruckwheel, any one or more of which brakes can be brought into actionto compensate for side draft. It further consists in the adaptation, toa machine of the character stated, of an engine composed of fourradially-arranged single-acting cylinders. located around thecrank-shaft, which carries the driving-wheel of the cutter-chain.

In the annexed drawings, Figure 1 is-a side all the figures in thedesignation of identical inders, radially arranged in coincident pairsaround the vertical crank-shaft B, with the crank of which the pistonsare connected by pitn en. The details of this engine are fully describedin another application for Letters Patent filed of even date with this.The baseplate 0 of the engine is mounted on wheels 0, which run on acircular track,-D, so that the entire engine and its adjuncts can berotated; but it may be locked to said track in any position by means ofa clamping-rod, E, a collar, 0, on the lower end of which hooks underthe circular tracks, while-ta nut, e, on its upper end is provided todraw the rod up when the engine is to be locked to the said track.

Other well-known contrivances may be used as means for looking theengine.

The lower end of the crank-shaft B, protruding below the base-plate O,carries a spurwheel, F, the teeth of which engage corresponding teeth onsome of the links of the endless cutter-chain G, which travels in ahorizontal direction around this Wheel, and an arm, H, which is rigidlysecured to the base-plate O, and projects radially therefrom. The arm His made in two parts, the outer part, H, being connected to the otherpart in such a manner that it may yield longitudinally. It. is placed inguides, and carries a stem, h, which acts on a spring, h, the tension ofwhich can be regulated by a nut, k all as best seen in Fig. 2. Thecutter-chain G is composed of three lines of links, g, 9 and 9 each linkcarrying a bit, 9 The links g and g of the upper and lower line arearranged in pairs connected by the intermediate line of single links 9The links g turn loosely on the enlarged central portion of the pintles9 while the smaller ends of said pintles are riveted down on the links 9and g t'or'rigidly uniting them, as seen best in Fig. 3. The inner edgeof the links g is blank, while the inner edges of the links 9 and g areformed with projecting teeth 2' to be engaged by the teeth of thedriving-wheel F. Suitable notches or seats are formed in the outer edgesof the several links for the reception and retention of the bits 9 whichare provided with a 1ongitudinal rib both for preventing lateralmovement in their seats and for strengthening them.

It will be seen that the bits of the central line of links will cut outthe ridge left standing between the upper and. lower line of cutters,thus dividing the work of thecutterehain' very advantageously. The widthof the cenchain is supported upon a flange, f, on the driving-wheel F,and ribs h on either side of arm or cutter-bar H, which ribs enterbetween the pairs of links g and g so that the teeth of the links 9travel along the upper surface of said ribs 7L3. In the extreme end ofthe cutterbar a rotating disk, It, is mounted to facilitate the turningof the chain, the disk protruding beyond the end of the cutter-bar, soas to form a continuation of the ribs 70 as it were.

The circular track D is hung on pivots d d between arms or levers I I,which are, in turn, pivoted at oneend to the respective side bars K ofthe trucks K. The free ends of the levers I terminate in hooks i whichembrace the side bars, and carry each a set-screw, I, to bear on the topedges of the side-bars.

By adjusting the set-screws I the engine and cutting apparatus can betilted more or less, so as to give any required inclination or dip tothe cutting apparatus.

At right angles to the pivots d the circular track 1) has alsoprojections d, which overhang the axles of the trucks K and are tappedfor the reception of set-screws D to bear on the said axles. Byadjusting these set-screws D the machine may be tilted somewhat forinclining the cutter-bar transversely to give the required rake to thecutter-chain.

A shaft or drum, L, mounted in a vertical position on one side of theengine over the cutter-bar,-is used as a Windlass for moving the machineslowly along on the track alongside of the vein of coal as the undercutting proceeds. One end ofa rope or chain, L", is permanently securedto drum L, and having been passed forward is reeved through a stakedpulley-block and returned to the machine, to which it is secured at sucha point that the machine will operate with little or no side draft underfavorable circumstances. The drum L receives an intermittent rotationfrom the crank-shaft B through the following intermediate mechanism: Theupper end of the crank-shaft carries a disk, M, provided with atransverse groove, m, in its upper face, in which a wrist-pin, m, may besecured at any point according to the, stroke required. The wrist-pin mis connected by pitman M to the long arm of a lever, M which is pivotedto the upper end'of the drum L, and the short arm of which carries apawl, N, adapted to engage the teeth of a wheel, 0, fixed on drum L. Thepitman M imparts an oscillating motion to the lever M so that the pawl Nwill rotate the drum step by step, moving it more or less each time,according as the throw of the crank-disk M is greater or less. A secondpawl, P, is used in the ordinary manner to prevent reverse movement ofthe drum L. The pawls N and 1? have the peculiar construction shown bestin Fig. 5, which enables them to be thrown out of action and somaintained, although they are under the influence of a constantly-actingspring. the pawls is hollow, and contains a piston, n, the stem of whichis encircled by a spring, n held in place by an adjustable screw-box, a.The fiat face of the piston presses against the pintle or pin a on whichthe pawl turns. This pin a has a flat surface, a, which is directlyopposite to the piston n when the pawl is in working position, and thespring will always return the pawl after its slight oscillationconsequent upon the working of the wheel 0, so that the piston will bearagainst the flat surface of the pin. But the pawls may be readily thrownout of gear by turning them so far that the piston shall come oppositeto the round surfaces of the pins, when the force of the springs willhold them stationary at any point.

I provide a brake, R, for each truck-wheel, one or more of which brakesmay be applied at any time to compensate for side draft. The brakesshown are simple levers pivoted to the side bars K of the track-frame,and adapted to be brought into action by set-screws R, bearing on theupper edges of said side bars.

Any other known form of brake may be used for the purpose indicated.

In operating the machine, the engine of which will be driven bycompressed air, it is first adjusted to give the proper inclinations tothe cutter-bar, which at this time will stand parallel to therailroad-track on which the machine runs. The rope of the Windlasshaving been secured as above stated, the cutterbar is swung aroundagainst the vein of coal and the machine started, the cutter-bar beinggradually turned until it has entered to the desired width of the cutinto the vein of coal: The engine, with its cutting apparatus, is thenlooked to the circular track, when the cutting will proceed. Of coursethe machice can cut on either side of the track.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination, substantially as specified, of the carriage, theengine, the cutting apparatus, and the means for adjusting the engineand cutting apparatus.

2. The combination, substantially as specified, of the carriage providedwith the circular track, and the engine and cutting apparatus, adaptedto be turned on said track.

3. The combination, substantially as specified, of the circular track ofthe carriage, with the engine and cutting apparatus, and means The shankof for locking the engine and cutting apparatus 8. The combination,substantially as specified, of the pawl, the pintle flattened on oneside, the piston, and the spring.

9. The combination, substantially as specified, of the carriage, thefour-cylinder engine, mounted thereon for circular adjustment, thecentral crank-shaft, the driving-wheel, and the endless chain of thecutting apparatus.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to the foregoingspecification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

TREAT T. PROSSER.

Witnesses:

B. O. J. EILS, JOHN EILs.

